A27035:110
A second true defence of the mere nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and…A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and…
A second true defence of the mere nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease public worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease publick worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.
London: printed for Nevil Simons, 1681
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Page 358. Although nothing separates a Church properly from the Catholic, but what is contrary to the being of it; yet a Church may separate her self from the Communion of the Catholic by taking upon her to make such things the necessary conditions of her Communion, which never were the conditions of Communion with the Catholic Church.
Page 358. Although nothing separates a Church properly from the Catholick, but what is contrary to the being of it; yet a Church may separate her self from the Communion of the Catholick by taking upon her to make such things the necessary conditions of her Communion, which never were the conditions of Communion with the Catholick Church.
Page 359. Since it appears that the Communion of the Catholic Church was free for many hundred years without approving or using these things; that Church, which shall not only publicly use, but enjoin such things upon pain of Excommunication from the Church, doth as much as in her lies draw the bounds of Catholic Communion within herself, and so divides her self from the true Catholic Church. For whatever confines must likewise divide the Church, for by that confinement a separation is made between the part confined and the other, which separation must be made by the Party so limiting Communion. As it was in the Case of the Donatists, who were therefore charged with Schism, because they confined the Catholic Church, within their own bounds: And if any other Church doth the same which they did, it must be liable to the same charge that they were. The sum of this discourse is, that the being of the Catholic Church lies in Essentials, that for a particular Church to disagree from all other particular Churches in some extrinsical and accidental things is not to separate from the Catholic Church, so as to cease to be a Church: But still what ever Church makes such extrinsical things the necessary conditions of Communion, so as to cast men out of the Church, who yield not to them, is Schismatical in so doing; For it thereby divides it self from the Catholic Church: And ⟨p. 10⟩the separation from it is so far from being Schism, that being cast our […] that Church on those terms only, returns them to the Communion of the Catholic Church. On which grounds it will appear that yours […] the Schismatical Church and not ours: For although before this imposing humour came into particular Churches, Schism was defined by the Fathers and others to be a voluntary departure out of the Church, yet that cannot in reason be understood of any particular, but the true Catholic Church. For not only persons but Churches may depart from the Catholic Church: And in such Cases not those, who depart from the Communion of such Churches, but those Churches, which departed from the Catholic are guilty of Schism. These things I thought necessary to be further explained, not only to show how false that imputation is, of our Churches departing from the true Catholic Church; but with what great reason we charge your Church with departing from the communion of it;